English Witch Trials from 995 AD to 1701 AD and 1944

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Mrs Duncan, a Scotswoman who travelled the nation holding seances, was one in every of Britain’s greatest-recognized mediums, seemingly numbering Winston Churchill and George VI amongst her shoppers, when she was arrested in January 1944 by two naval officers at a seance in Portsmouth. The army authorities, secretly getting ready for the A-day landings after which in a heightened state of paranoia, have been alarmed by studies that she had disclosed – allegedly by way of contacts with the spirit world – the sinking of two British battleships lengthy earlier than they turned public. The most critical disclosure got here when she advised the mother and father of a lacking sailor that his ship, HMS Barham, had sunk. It was true, however information of the tragedy had been suppressed to protect morale.

Desperate to silence the obvious leak of state secrets and techniques, the authorities charged Mrs Duncan with conspiracy, fraud, and with witchcraft beneath an act courting again to 1735 – the primary such cost in over a century. At the trial, solely the “black magic” allegations caught, and she or he was jailed for 9 months at Holloway ladies’s jail in north London. Churchill, then prime minister, visited her in jail and denounced her conviction as “tomfoolery”. In 1951, he repealed the 200-yr-previous act, however her conviction stood.

As an addendum to this story I thought it will be fascinating to record a number of the witch trial tales from 995 AD to 1701.

995 AD London, A lady and her son have been tried for driving stakes into a picture of a person. She was taken and drowned at London Bridge, whereas the son escaped and have become outlawed.

1302 England, Exeter M Mody, John m Trial for defamation; Mody had referred to as Reginald Kene’s spouse a ‘depraved witch and thief’.

1314/15 England Tannere, John m (Aka John Canne) Claimed to be the son of Edward I. Hanged for try to realize crown via diabolical assist; had served satan greater than three years.

1324 England, Coventry Nottingham, John of m (aka Master John) Died in custody of witchcraft.

1325 English, Coventry Robert le Mareschal m He and his lodger Master John of Nottingham and 27 shoppers (The Burghers of Coventry) have been charged earlier than a secular courtroom with using him and one other “necromancer” to make use of sorcery in an try on lifetime of King Edward II, the Despensers, and a number of other different officers.

1325 England, Coventry Acquitted. Charged earlier than a secular courtroom with using him and one other “necromancer” to make use of sorcery in an try on lifetime of King Edward II, the Despensers, and a number of other different officers.

1330 England Edmund Earl of Kent. Edward was condemned for acquiring necessary info from demon, by way of mediation of friar.

1331 England, Southwark A man tried by royal courtroom for sorcery. together with with a shopper and his affiliate. The topics claimed to have used picture magic solely to acquire friendship however the jury decided that intent was homicide.

1336 England Altefax, William m Pope Benedict XII wrote to the Bishop of Paris to have William Altefax, nigromanticus de Anglia and with him, his plates (Laminas) that he utilized in his magical operations.

1337 England, Hatfield Man tried by manorial courtroom for failure to ship satan as organized in business transaction; case dismissed

1366 England A sure carpenter died after remaining reconciliation to the Church, having lived for 15 years with a pact with the satan; There have been no recorded judicial proceedings.

1371 England, Southwark, Man tried by royal courtroom for invocation; possessed ebook for experimenta and Saracen’s head for enclosure of demon; disclaimed use of head; He was arrested for possessing a Grimoire, a cranium and the top of a corpse, and was launched on a promise to by no means once more carry out magical rituals.

1376 England A Friar of St. Albans related to Alice Perrers tried by ecclesiastical courtroom for love magic and picture magic directed at king Edward III. (n.b. Although Kieckhefer identifies the friar as Dominican, the monastary at St. Albans was Benedictine.)

1382 England, London B Berewold, Robert m Pilloried for pretending to follow the “Art Magic”

1382 England, London M Northamptone, William m Pilloried for pretending to follow the “Art Magic”

1385 England, London M Brugges, John m Chaplain. One of two males tried by ecclesiastical courtroom for magic. They have been imprisoned by the Bishop of London “till the church was glad”.

1388 England, London B Tresilian, Sir Robert m Condemned by the Merciless Parliament for different causes. He was additionally discovered to have been training invocation.

1390 England, London B Berking, John m Arrested for soothsaying, he was sentenced to an hour within the pillory, two weeks’ imprisonment, and banishment from the town.

1441 England Cobham, Eleanor (Duchess of Gloucester, Wife of Humphrey) Given penance by secular authorities for sorcery in in search of the demise of Henry VI. She had the assistance of Margery Jourdemaine, and two famous Oxford Scholars, one an astrologer, and the opposite a doctor. They additionally needed to make sure an inheritor. According to Wedek, a Treasury of Witchcraft, she was banished for all times to the Isle of Man.

1441 England B Southwell, Thomas m Tried for Treason, utilizing sorcery in in search of the demise of Henry VI.

1441 England, London M Bolingbroke, Roger m Aka Roger Whiche. A Clerk. Hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn by secular authorities for Treason, utilizing sorcery in in search of the demise of Henry VI.

1444 England, London Man positioned on pillory by secular courtroom for invocation, coping with a ‘wycckyd spyryte’.

1452 England, Durham Trial in ecclesiastical courtroom for defamation; one lady had accused one other of sortilegium, and had spoken of a sure chaplain’s profligate infatuation together with her (suggestion of love magic?).

1457 England, Hertford Man abjured of necromancy and heresy.

1465 England, Norfolk Tried by royal courtroom for invocation to seek out treasure.

1466 England, Ely Man given private and non-private penance by bishop for invocation.

1467 England Byg, William m Convicted of crystal gazing to find thieves needed to seem in public with a scroll on his head.

1470 England Trial for defamation earlier than royal courtroom; a person had accused the Duchess of Bedford of picture magic.

1476 England, London Trial for defamation in secular courtroom; man had defamed neighbors in issues of sorcery.

1480-1515c England Woman tried by Court of Chancery for sorcery.

1480-1515c England, St David’s O ladies (Tanglost and a couple of others) tried by Court of Chancery for picture magic.

1490 England, London Woman tried by commissary for picture magic.

1492 England, London Trial for fraudulent love magic; shopper sentenced to public penance by ecclesiastical courtroom, and man claiming to function agent for magician ordered by courtroom to revive items given in cost.

1493 England, London Woman tried by ecclesiastical courtroom for climate magic, killing by incantation, divination, and different offenses.

1496 (S/19) England, London Kendal, John m Pardoned. Grand Prior of the Order of St. John of Rhodes is one among three males accused of conspiracy by their French agent, Bernard de Vignolles, of try (framed at Rome) on lives of King Henry VII, his youngsters, his mom, and sure of his brokers and followers, by means of use of magical substances.

1496 England, London Thonge, Sir John m Knight of the Order of St. John of Rhodes (and John Kendal’s nephew) is considered one of three males accused of conspiracy by their French agent, Bernard de Vignolles.

1496 England, London Horsey, William m Archdeacon of London is one among three males accused of conspiracy by their French agent, Bernard de Vignolles.

1521 England Duke of Buckingham m Tried for trying to study the king’s lifespan by divination.

1525 England Acquitted for homicide by use of a waxen determine.

1522 England, Kent Barton, Elizabeth Hanged? “The Maid of Kent” was tried for seeing The Virgin Mary at a Shrine, who purportedly cured her, and later visions that opposed the Marriage of Henry VIII. Barton had been put as much as it by clergymen who needed to construct a shrine.

1560 England H Men, together with P in orders confessed to conjuration, and have been launched after swearing to abstain from such acts within the future.

1564 England, Essex, Clch Lowys, Elizabeth Assizes S/21 (aka Howes), Elizabeth Convicted and sentenced to hold. She pleaded Pregnancy. In March 1565, she was discovered to be not pregnant, and the ultimate disposition is unknown.

1566 England, Chelmsford Francis, Elizabeth Jailed. She comes from Hatfield Peverell, Essex. Wife of Chistopher Francis, charged with witching the toddler youngster of William Auger. She was sentenced to at least one yr’s imprisonment.

1566 England, Dorset, Walsh, John – Hanged.

1566 England, York Stabler, Richard m Dismissed on Bond. Physician.

1566 England Chelmsford Francis Elizabeth f Jailed. She comes from Hatfield Peverell, Essex. Wife of Chistopher Francis, charged with witching Mary Cocke. She was sentenced to at least one yr’s inprisonment, and 4 appearances within the Pillory.

1582 England, St. Osyth Grevell, Margaret Acquitted.

1582 England, St. Osyth Ewstace, Elizabeth Acquitted.

1582 England, Essex, Walton Robinson, Joan – Hanged.

1583 England, Kent Symons, Margaret – Hanged.

1585 England, London Hacket, Margaret Hanged at Tyburn.

1589

England, Chelmsford Cony, Joan Hanged inside two hours after her sentencing. (aka Cunny) Unwed mom of Avice, and grandmother of her accuser.

1592 England, Middlesex Atkins, Mother.

1593 England, Warboys, The three members of the Samuels household (Father, Mother, and Daughter) are Hanged based mostly on the phrase of H hysterical women. This might have helped present some impetus on the passage of the 1604 Anti-Witchcraft Bill. I.b. One of the accusations was that Lady Cromwell, grandmother of Oliver Cromwell was killed by witchcraft.

1595 England, Brayneford Calles, Helen, Executed.

1595 England, Barnett Newell, John Executed.

1596 England Cockie, Isabel Burnt at a price of a hundred and five s. A p.

1597 England, Derby Wright, Elizabeth Alice Goodridge’s mom. She was convicted, and her disposition is just not recognized.

1597 England, Derby B Goodridge, Alice Aged 60, Convicted on the testimony of Thomas Darling “The Burton Boy” of Burton-upon-Trent. She was sentenced to a years imprisonment, and died in jail. Thomas Darling later retracted his proof.

1579 England, Nottingham William Somers, The Nottingham Boy, counterfeited possession to accuse numerous individuals on the insistence of John Darrell. Apparently in all instances, Darrell confessed the deception through the trials.

1599 England, London Kerke, Anne Hanged at Tyburn England.

1600 England, York Cleane, Agnes.

1603 England, Yorkshire Pannel, Mary,Executed.

1604 England, Berkshire Pepwell, Agnes Pepwell – Acquitted. Anne Gunter, a 14 yr previous woman, countefeiting a demonic possession. I.b. that this was additionally concerning the time that the harsher legal guidelines of James I towards witchcraft have been being enacted.

1619 England, Leicester Baker, Anne Hanged.

1619 England, Leicester Willimot, Joan Hanged.

1621 England, R. Perrot Guppy, Joan Accused by Edmond Fairfax for bewitching his youngsters. The proof was inadequate, they usually have been launched.

1621 England, Yorkshire Fletcher, Elizabeth Accused with 5 others by Edmond Fairfax for bewitching his youngsters. The proof was inadequate, they usually have been launched. Elizabeth Fletcher was the daughter of Mother Foster.

1626 England Bull, Edward Denounced by Edward Dinham.

1626 England Greedy, Joan denounced by Edward Dinham.

1628 England, London Lambe, Dr. John Not Tried, however crushed to demise by a mob at St. Paul’s Cross after he fell from the Duke of Buckingham’s favour.

1630 England, Lancaster Utley, Hanged.

1630 England, Sandwich, Hanged.

1631 England, Taunton, Edward Bull, Hanged.

1633 England, Lancaster, 17 convicted, however all later reprieved by the King (together with Mary Spencer and Jennet Device).

1634 England Three of the accused (by Edmund Robinson) died in jail earlier than the swindle was revealed.

1640 England, London, Dr Lamb, Stoned to dying by a mob at St. Paul’s Cross (and doubtless confused with 1628, though the date *is* given a number of occasions in Robbins).

1643 England, Newbury Shot by parliamentary forces as she was strolling alongside the floor of a river.

1644 England Wanderson, (spouse B) Executed.

1644 England Wanderson, (spouse P) Executed.

1645 England, Chelmsford 19 have been Hanged on proof of by the Witch Finder General Matthew Hopkins (together with the Manningtree Witches).

1645 England, Chelmsford H have been remanded to the subsequent session of the Assizes (A have been nonetheless in jail three years later, A (aged 88, sixty five, 60 and forty) died in jail earlier than the periods opened).

1684 England, Exeter Molland, Alice Hanged.

1691 England, Frome, Somerset, Acquitted by Justice Sir John Holt, on costs of bewitching Mary Hill, a younger woman.Died earlier than her trial.

1693 England B Chambers, “Widow” Died in jail as a results of torture by “strolling”.

1694 England, Ipswich, Elnore, Margaret Acquitted by Justice Sir John Holt for having accepted familiars from her grandmother, herself hanged for witchcraft; having witch’s marks on her physique, and giving lice to her neighbors.

1694 England, Bury St Edmonds, Munnings, “Mother” Acquitted by Justice Sir John Holt on costs of prognostication inflicting a dying; or for casting a spell to trigger the demise of her landlord. She was additionally accused of getting a well-known imp within the form of a pole cat, and two black and white imps within the form of balls of wool.

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